We had the grand opportunity to work with Pat Horning, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (GCNRA), while we were at Bear Lake. The National Park Service administers the GCNRA that encompasses Lake Powell. Pat had used a Deep Ocean Phantom 2+2, remote operated vehicle (ROV)  to search for a drowning victim in Bear Lake several weeks earlier and had returned to conduct the recovery. Pat was impressed with the deep-water capability and the image quality of our custom made towfish.

      On October 10th, a representative of the GCNRA called to ask if we would be interested in coming to Lake Powell to help search for another drowning victim. The victim, a 53 year old man, had been vacationing with friends on a houseboat and had fallen or jumped from the houseboat on October 7th. The houseboat was equipped with a GPS unit and it had been set to record the track of the houseboat as it entered Rock Creek Bay! An initial search was conducted using the GCNRA ROV, but they indicated they may want us to help with the search if they were unsuccessful.

      The GCNRA search operations officer, Billy Shott, officially requested our assistance on October 13th. He indicated the water depth in the primary search area ranged from 200 to 250 feet and the bottom was very irregular with a 70-foot vertical wall running through the middle of the search area. A search dog had been deployed along the shoreline and had a very strong alert in an area downwind from the predicted PLS. Daily logs of the previous search activities as well as maps of the search area showing underwater contours were faxed to us for planning purposes.

     Following completion of a mission to Casper, Wyoming, on October 19th, we traveled to Wahweap Marina, Arizona, to begin search efforts. We met with GCNRA search officials on October 21st to review past search efforts and to prepare for our part of the search effort.

     A north/south search line pattern was established which appeared to parallel the underwater contours and coincidentally, nearly paralleled the track of the houseboat. The lines were extended well past the north and south boundaries of the previously searched area to allow for turns and repositioning.  Search lines were programed into the navigation computer. The incident commander (IC) requested that we start searching as near the eastern shore as possible and continue searching west towards the houseboat's recorded track.

     The irregular terrain and large boulders on the bottom required imaging each “lane” in opposite directions to see into the shadow areas behind boulders and pinnacles. By the end of the first day we were near the houseboat’s trackline.

     About thirty minutes into the second day’s search, we imaged the body lying in 286 feet of water in a relatively smooth area of the bottom. The body was in an area just outside of the area previously searched by the GCNRA ROV team. An acoustic target was placed nearby and the vessel with the ROV was brought into position and anchored. The ROV was deployed and the acoustic target was used to guide it to the victim.

    Just as the ROV manipulator  grasped the victim, a strong squall, with 30 to 45 mile per hour winds, swept into the bay. The ROV deployment vessel  is 16 feet wide by 46 feet long and has a large cabin. Needless to say, the winds were sufficient to cause the large vessel to drag its two anchors and the ROV on a wild ride! When the storm had subsided, it was discovered that the ROV umbilical had been severely tangled with the anchor lines as well as with the acoustic target and the ROV had lost its cargo.

     The next few hours were spent untangling the ROV from the anchor lines and clearing the area to begin the side scan search for the again missing person. We concentrated the search effort in the area of the original find and the two adjacent lanes. We found drag marks made by the ROV and the acoustic target during the storm, but could not clearly see the victim. We reviewed the images from several passes over the same area and tried to determine the most likely path of the ROV during the storm.

    Upon closer examination and evaluation of the images, an object of the right size and shape appeared to be lying in the trench made by the ROV as it was dragged along the bottom (see image below). The slightly out of shape acoustic target was again deployed just as dusk fell. The IC then suspended the day’s activities, since we had nearly a one hour trip back to the marina ahead of us, most of which was in the dark!

     The following morning, the ROV mother ship was again anchored near the target and the ROV was maneuvered to the bottom. Since the object was in the trench with only a small portion above the “ditch banks” it was difficult to find. Pat guided the ROV operator, Tom Caldwell,  along the trench to the object using a sector scanning sonar mounted on the ROV. The sector scanning sonar operates much like an aircraft radar screen. Visual confirmation was made only after the ROV had grasped the object and cleared the turbidity from the area using the ROV’s thrusters. The ROV and victim were then gently pulled by hand toward the surface. Pat and Rigby Ough donned scuba gear and dove to about 80 feet to escort the ROV and its cargo to the surface.

     The National Park Service staff conducted this mission in a very professional manner. They prepared daily Task Assignment Forms for each team. In addition to our side scan team, they provided the ROV team and two to three “picket” boats to control other boat traffic in the area. Other staff handled press, mapping and documentation, logistics, safety, financial, family support, equipment repairs, and legal investigation. Missions began each day at 0500 and briefings were held at the end of each day. Safety officers placed medical oxygen onboard the sonar vessel for use in treating potential CO poisoning from the boat and generator exhaust. Frequent radio contact was maintained among all boats for status checks as well as safety matters. We were very impressed and look forward to working with them in the future.